SEPT 8 - SEPT 11 2016 MILWAUKEE, WISC

bands //

chicago, illinois

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Founded in New York City and now based in Chicago, Ace Reporter was born of exhaustion. "I was burned out by music in every way, except creatively," explains Snyder. "I just wanted to write." And so he did, finishing a new song every 24 hours for 365 consecutive days. The songs that resulted from this threesixfive project span most of the genres so often prefixed by "indie" -- rock, folk, electro, pop. But they are also immediate and cohesive, grounded as much by propulsive beats and hooky melodies as by the dark wit in Snyder's lyrics. Following Snyder's move to Chicago in 2013, the band's membership solidified into a powerful four-piece: Snyder on vocals and guitar, Ben Dacoba on drums, Corbin Howard on keys, and Gordon Walters on bass.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Antics is the collaboration of producers Steven Pitzl and Tanner Dixon hailing from Milwaukee, WI. Specializing in EDM, the pair showcases a broad spectrum of production talent blasting through the electronic music universe at full speed. The pair released their debut Crush EP through Dubstep.Net to great fanfare with their sophomore Elevate EP set for a summer 2013 release. Antics has opened for artists locally and nationally such as Baauer, Carnage, Revolvr, Krewella, Adventure Club and more. They have received international recognition from music blogs, peaked at #1 on GlitchHop.NetÕs ÒHottest TracksÓ list and hosted a remix competition for ÒLet GoÓ, the lead single from the upcoming Elevate EP, garnering a plethora of entries.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Avenues is a punk/power pop quartet from Milwaukee, Wisconsin formed in 2009 by Vin Smith ( Guitar & Vocals ), Joel Maske ( Drums ), Shawn Brooks ( Guitar ), and Scott Brooks ( Bass ). In the fall of 2011 Avenues ventured to Hollywood, California to record their debut EP with Grammy nominated producer/engineer Davey Julson-Rieley at godaveygo Studio. This EP has something for everyone from the pop influenced song "Hold Me" (in early April Avenues will be shooting a music video for "Hold Me") to the driving - darker and lyrical content of "Old Number One". This EP release is targeted for early in 2012.

hartford, connecticut

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A band built on the soul of the blues and revamped with the power of funk-rock. Voted the "Best Blues Band in Connecticut" in both 2013 and 2014, Balkun Brothers is a high-energy funk infused blues/rock band that has been influenced by such musical greats as Jack White, Motorhead, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Lucky Peterson, Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Muddy Waters, Gary Clark Jr., The Doors, Led Zeppelin and Eric Sardinas.

Chattanooga, tennessee

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Sprung out of the mountains of Tennessee, Behold the Brave wants to share their good spirits with anyone willing to listen. They find joy in creating music; music that guides you down an energetic yet relaxing wave of noise; music that evokes a brave and creative new perspective on life.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Brett Newski moved to Vietnam after becoming jobless, band-less, and girl-less in 2011. There, he wrote nearly 100 power-folk songs in the steaming city of Saigon for his latest release American Folk Armageddon. Newski now tours the world 200+ dates per year and has been featured in NoDepression, Rolling Stone S Africa, Guitar World, and Blurt Magazine. His style has been compared to Violent Femmes, Frank Turner, Jake Bugg, and Ben Kweller.

chicago, illinois

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Growing up under the watchful eye of his uncle, B.B. King, it seems only fitting that singer/songwriter, Briar Rabbit has grown up to become quite the gentleman, and one that is musically inclined. With romantic melodies and colourfully layered narrative that evoke painfully beautiful imagery through honest lyricism, Briar Rabbit makes his triumphant return with forthcoming LP, From Your Bones, released on January 21st, 2014.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Bright Kind is an indie pop band out of Milwaukee that plays soul-inflected, synth-driven music. Their debut self-titled album was recorded in Bay View at Howl Street Recordings and released in July 2014. Bright Kind's textured sound is derived from an ever-shifting combination of layered vocals, stacked synths, and driving rhythms. Bright Kind is Jeanna Salzer, Eric Klosterman, and Alex Bunke.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Calliope is a bluesy psych rock quartet forged between the forces of the sun and the moon in a dingy basement in 2011. Their organ heavy self-titled debut (2013) showcased their reverberated garage rock vibe and was hailed as, "a rollicking collection of retrofitted psychedelic blues songs," in the spirit of the Doors and The Animals. Since then, Calliope has taken their sideshow rock circus to music venues and festivals across Midwest; opening for acts such as White Mystery and Those Darlins. Currently the band is touring their sophomore release, 'Orbis.' Recorded in a remote cabin in the northern woods of Wisconsin, Orbis captures the sonic amalgamation of electric fuzz, droning organs, thundering drums, crushing bass and soulful vocals. The end is a result is 26 minutes of heavy grooves drenched in reverb.

chicago, illinois

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Five college students begun writing music in a Chicago basement during the summer of 2009. Over the next year the quintet went on to win AT&T's Midwest College Battle of the Band and 3rd place at Columbia College Chicago's Biggest Mouth competition. During this time, the band refined their sound and shared the stage with Cold War Kids, Russian Circles, Maps & Atlases, Chance The Rapper, Maritime, Biffy Clyro, Walk The Moon, and more. During the summer of 2013, Carbon Tigers started recording their third release, The Wars at Home, with Jon Alvin in Crystal Lake, IL. The band is set to perform at multiple festivals throughout the United States and will be hitting the studio again with Zak Jablow (Chance The Rapper, Kids These Days) and Matt Hennessy (Jay-Z, Beyonce) for a Spring 2015 release.

nashville, tennessee

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2014 will see The Cavalry out on a nation wide tour as direct support for Fuel. While currently writing material for their second album, "Caught In The Sun", The Cavalry released their newest single "Hold On Tight", which is in current rotation on 102.9 The Buzz. In return they have become The Buzz's "Featured Artist of the Week". In the beginning the band got its start as a straight forward rock act out of LA. They brought a special blend of energy & soul into their explosive stage performances. Now in its fourth year The Cavalry calls Nashville, TN home and is positioning newer and stronger members. The music has grown and matured, and it now shows more of a defining character as they work with reputable producers such as Nolan Neal, Brad Stewart, Justin Kay, Sam Green, & J Hall.

milwaukee, wisconsin

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Corey Pieper is a young rising pop artist out of Milwaukee Wisconsin. Blending a rich mix of Top 40 sounds, clean hip-hop, and ukulele island vibes, Corey is exciting audiences around the country with his energetic stage performance. Corey's debut album in 2012 was met with critical acclaim, and he followed it up with an EP in late 2013. He's released several new singles recently, with Pepperdine University Graphic calling him a "rising artist bound for stardom" and GoodMusicAllDay.com declaring "it's hard not to sing along...".

new orleans, louisiana

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Daniel Amedee is living proof that a musician can be from New Orleans, but not necessarily be of New Orleans, a distinction that courses through his quirky, eccentric songwriting style, informed by a haunting bluesy vocalese that scratches the soul somewhere between Tom Waits and Captain Beefheart, and certainly belies young Daniel's 27 years. For all its grand and storied heritage of America's jazz, blues, rock 'n roll, Cajun, Zydeco, R&B, and hip-hop, the Crescent City can be a harsh and unforgiving mistress for a fledgling singer-songwriter-arranger whose music leans more towards the atmospherics of Billboard's modern rock chart and U2. Throw in the Gulf's annual barrage of natural disasters, with their withering effect on the psyche, and it makes for a musical sensibility that is more King Crimson than King Oliver, more Mars Volta than Mardi Gras.

chicago, illinois

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David McMillin writes songs about the weary American highway. He has shared the stage with acclaimed songwriters such as Shelby Lynne, Martin Sexton and Ryan Bingham. In addition to writing and performing solo, McMillin fronts Chicago-based indie-folk trio Fort Frances.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Evan Christian born in Chicago, Illinois raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Recording Artist, Music Producer, Award Winning Flamenco Guitarist, World Traveller. Evan Christian discovered the guitar as a teenager, and without formal instruction has progressed to become one of the most dynamic and sought after solo performers in the world. In 2005 Evan released his debut cd "Fuego", a nuevo flamenco cd which won him international acclaim. Also in 2005, Evan Christian went to Spain to study flamenco and to promote his cd, and in the process, collaborated and performed with some of Spain's top flamenco players. In 2008 Evan Christian released his sophmore cd entitled "The Mosaic vol. 1" a stark contrast to his first cd "Fuego". The Mosaic vol.1 features the international hit singles " Lovers Be ", "Breakdown", and " Bulerias del Barrio ". It is a collection of songs written within the last 8 years of his career in Milwaukee Wisconsin.

liverpool, united kingdom

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Familiar Looking Strangers are based in Liverpool, the music capital of the UK. Influenced by Liverpool and American roots. The music is driven by thunderous rhythm and cutting guitar riffs, with blistering melodies, layered with four part harmonies. They write songs of love and life (much the same thing!), seen through the eyes and portrayed through the minds of four working class lads from Liverpool and Madrid, Spain. FLS really come to life on the stage, performing with so much energy and passion that it's hard not to love it. They are timeless, exciting and a pure pleasure to the ears!

chicago, illinois

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After recording their debut album with Sam Kassirer (Josh Ritter, Langhorne Slim) in a farmhouse in the middle-of-nowhere Maine, Chicago's Fort Frances returned to their city roots to track the follow-up EP, Harbour. The heavily textured five songs that make up Harbour turned heads across the country, earning numerous comparisons to Wilco, Ryan Adams and Modest Mouse. WXPN's Bruce Warren declared that "you definitely want to keep your eyes on this band." In 2015, those eyes will have plenty to see and ears will have plenty to hear. The band is currently working on a full-length release due in late spring that sheds some of their indie-folk past for territory where the edges are a bit rougher and the volume knobs are a bit higher.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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"Greatest Lakes is a four-piece rock/folk band that calls our fair city by the lake home. The band's intricately layered vocals certainly stand out first, but don't sleep on the guitar craftsmanship and the sometimes-driving rhythm section that doesnÕt rely on any obvious accents. In fact, don't sleep on this band at all." WMSE Sonic Diet

oshkosh, wisconsin

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In just a few short years "The Guilty Wanted" has quickly developed a sound that is best described as "Ambient blues-bent Americana." Featuring the striking vocals of Rebecca Hron. The band is equally at home moving from acoustic guitar, piano, and upright bass, to effects driven, spacious electric guitar and synth keyboard sounds that meld classic beauty with an ambient sound all of their own. A gripping ride from simple and delicate to wild and raw.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Hayward Williams grew up with a guitar in his hands, performing from an early age in cafes, bars, and eventually rock clubs throughout his home state of Wisconsin and around the Midwest. A high school 'Battle of the Bands' champion, the textbook lonely college kid making dinner dates with his guitar, Williams took the well-worn suburban route to musical accomplishment: he hit the ground running with a '64 Gibson that his mother bought at a garage sale, listened hard to everything from the Beatles to Buckley, and somewhere along the way began to write the tunes that would become his own voice.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Singer-songwriter Hugh Robert Masterson grew up in Butternut, Wisconsin - a quaint but fading small town with decrepit mills, dirt roads, farms, beat down bars, and a population of 300. His band Hugh Bob and The Hustle and their masterful self-titled debut album brings to life this slice of classic Americana with ruggedly poetic lyrics and sweetly winsome roots rock. Masterson's blend of hard luck stories and backwoods whimsy with crisp twang, high lonesome harmonies, and heartland rock n' roll is an aesthetic called "North Country". It's similar in spirit to country in its earnestness and its ties to American folk traditions, but details the plight of folks up North. Live and on record Masterson is aptly backed by The Hustle, a band of friends with telepathic interplay and a unique approach to American roots music. The Hustle is Quinn Scharber, guitar/vocals; Nicholas Stuart, bass/vocals; Bradley Kruse, keys/vocals; and Justin Krol, drums.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Veterans of festival performances, radio & television, and the studio & beyond, power-pop group Ian & The Dream are set to release their first full-length album "California Cauliflower" at Yellowphone Music Conference this September 5. After recording two EP's with Grammy award winning record producer Stephen Short (Genesis, Paul McCartney, Queen) lead singer and songwriter Ian Ash self-produced the group's first full-length in the wake of Short's colon cancer. With a voice that Grammy award winning Beach Boy Bruce Johnston called "beautiful" and the un-shakable fan favorite "Anna Belle" that legendary producer Butch Vig (Garbage, Nirvana, Foo Fighters) called "catchy", the group is proud to be launching their new release at this year's Yellowphone Music Conference.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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In 2011, Ivy Spokes unveiled their unique style of indie rock n' roll, with the release of their debut EP, Chaos to Cosmos. The opening track, In Dreams, earned the band a Wisconsin Area Music Award (WAMI) Nomination for Song of the Year and the following year they received a nomination for Rock Artist of the Year. From Chicago to Omaha the band has toured the midwest music scene while being featured on radio stations and the local news. In 2014, Ivy Spokes headlined Milwaukee's largest music festival, Summerfest, after their 2013 debut for the festival's Emerging Artist Series. Part one of their sophomore release, Upside, was released 2/28/14, the second part which will make up their debut full-length album is due to be released 2014.

east troy, wisconsin

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You can't teach the blues. Either you've got it, or you don't. JARED JAMES NICHOLS has definitely got it. The Wisconsin-born, Los Angeles-based singer, writer and guitarist's new EP Old Glory & The Wild Revival channels blues grit and gusto through bombastic arena-size rock 'n' roll. It's raw, raucous and righteously real. As soon as he got his first guitar at 14-years-old, the stage immediately called to Jared. After a short stint at Berklee School of Music in Boston, he headed out to Los Angeles where he garnered numerous accolades at the world-renowned Musicians Institute, winning the 2010 Jerry Horton guitar contest, the 2011 Les Paul tribute contest, and the 2011 "Outstanding Guitarist" award. 2012 saw him release his debut EP, Live at the Viper Room, gaining the notice of both Guitar World and Guitar Player and inking a deal with Sony/MTV's Hype Music Publishing.

Philadelphia, pennsylvania

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What started as a solo act from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, "Jayk" has evolved into a powerful rock and roll outfit that has risen to international recognition. In 2013 with the release of the E.P "Everything Ever," the former members of bands including Dashboard Confessional, The Promise Ring, Since by Man, and The Response- have stamped their place in current rock music as "The next great exciting group to watch," and hope to continue their globe-trotting journey to new heights of success.

chicago, illinois

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A band must beat as one to matter. This philosophy powers the pure American music of Jamie Lono & Noble Heart. Formed on the outskirts of one of the largest cities in the world, the band's collections of sounds and lyrics bred intimate songs that grew undisturbed by the distractions of the urban landscape. It was in this environment that Jamie's unique tenor melded with the playing of Tushar Sapru and Scott Woyach together to create a singular sound. Paralleling their penchant for direct and communicative music, the band's 1st release "Jamie Lono & Noble Heart: The Live EP" is lean and raw, leaving the songs no room to hide behind "studio magic." This initial offering proves that the soul of this band is strong, and pulsating with possibilities.

Philadelphia, pennsylvania

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Rock quartet, June Divided, hails from Philadelphia but had traveled quite a bit in their 3 year history. The band has been on Warped Tour, performed at Summerfest, Canadian Music Week and SXSW, and has had music videos featured on MTV and VH1 Megahits. Influenced by bands like Jimmy Eat World, Mutemath, and Silversun Pickups, the band is currently working on their next release.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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"This relatively new Milwaukee six-piece is one of those groups whose performances always draw the "oh man, you missed a great show" afterglow. Unabashedly a jam band comprised of young, nerdy kids, the group brings high energy to indie soul, and often leaves band and crowd with less clothing than they came in with." -Seizure Chicken

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Klassik is truly an old soul. His fusion of Hip-Hop and Jazz, amongst many other genres, pays homage to the many legends of generations past. His music is not based around braggadocio or glorification of the worldÕs ills, but rather portrays a positive, forward thinking person, fueled by his inspiration to constantly create and innovate. His diverse influences including Stevie Wonder, John Coltrane, Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, and Steely Dan, have helped mold a blend of musical styles that comes out one hundred percent unique, fresh, and timeless.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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LIGHT MUSIC is an electronic rock band from Milwaukee, WI. Exploring a grand scope of influences from classical nocturnes, to psychedelic?pop, to euro?house, LIGHT MUSIC crafts rock opuses underscored with poly-rhythmic beats, fierce guitars, spacious synthesizers; each song effervescing to a unique destination.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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The Living Statues inhaled the sounds of '64 off an LP of A Hard Day's Night and coughed up Jack White's blood onto Cream City brick. Evolving the pop sensibilities of the British Invasion with explosive garage rock textures, "TLS" will crack your bones like empty bottles yet leave you feeling oddly at home as if you've heard them before in a fevered jukebox dream of another lifetime.

pelham, new york

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Marisa Bettina is a young, female singer / songwriter. She has been singing and writing songs since the beginning of time. She is an explosion of soul; a living firecracker that is undeniably captivating and breathtaking. With elements of rock, RnB, psychedelia, punk or whatever else she feels like including in the mix, Marisa Bettina's voice and songs embed a lasting impression on the hearts of humans (and non humans), near and far and from all walks of life!

waukesha, wisconsin

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Matthew picked up the guitar at the age of 7, and has been emotionally attached to it ever since. He's a self-taught pianist, and once he started singing in choir, it was clear that nothing would stop him from continuing to grow, learn and master this craft of creating and performing music. Matt's third recording is the hauntingly beautiful song entitled"Still". Presented with lyrics written by the Chicago jazz singer Lisa Roti, Matthew composed the melody, and Bauer after hearing the demo, quickly put him in the studio to record the song. While under consideration for at least 2 motion pictures, A&E Television Networks heard the song and immediately requested a license to use the song on Lifetime's promo/PSA on Mental Health Awareness. The PSA, featuring Jennifer Hudson and other actors from Jennifer Aniston's television movie-series "Call Me Crazy", aired for several weeks on the Lifetime Network and websites.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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The Middle Ground emerged on the Milwaukee music scene in late 2012 as The Joe Neary Band, and has quickly become a crowd favorite. Their first album, "From Love, to Loss, to Living," was released June 2013 under the name Joe Neary, and was nominated for a 2013 RadioMilwaukee Music Award. The band's varied influences of pop, blues, and alternative have likened them to Coldplay, Maroon 5, and OneRepublic. In their first full year together, The Middle Ground had showcases at RedGorilla Music Fest in Austin, TX, Summerfest, and Yellow Phone Music Conference. The band won the 2014 WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) Award for New Artist of the Year, and is currently working on an upcoming EP for November of 2014.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Sharp, lovable pop tunes drenched in feedback and found in the basement with a fifth of Jack; sounds like someone threw their only can opener into a blender and realized the buzz was in the same key as Sam Cooke's Bring It On Home To Me.

chicago, illinois

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Mighty Fox isn't just a musical project but rather a journey. As an up-and-coming group based in Chicago that has already gotten industry professionals stirring, itÕs clear that this project is more than just a ÒbandÓ but rather a way of life for the musicians involved. Each song has the listener noticing the many different artists that influence Mighty Fox and how theyÕve affected the lives of the members. With bands like Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, U2, and Mumford & Sons being considered substantial influences, Mighty Fox has a very well rounded sound that anyone and everyone can relate to and enjoy. DonÕt let the names fool you though. Mighty Fox has definitely found a sound of their own which translates incredibly to their live show.

chicago, illinois

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Chicago's Molehill rose to the top 10 and Final Round of the Global Battle of the Bands 'Hard Rock Rising' 2012 Competition after 3 judged live performance rounds and 2 rounds of public voting. 12,000+ bands entered worldwide with 550 in the Chicago area. In 2012 Molehill's new album 'Equinox' was released. The release was coupled with a sold out show in Chicago. 'Equinox' was produced by Manny Sanchez and Molehill. Molehill released the single ÒWhy Did You Make Me CareÓ (written by Beck) in 2013 and a new studio EP is set for a 2014/15 release.

chicago, illinois

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Since their serendipitous inception, My My My has captivated audiences with their magnetic boy/girl vocal dichotomy, sonorous and buoyant melodies, and dynamic, resonating beats at the Sundance Film Festival, Milwaukee Summerfest, North By Northeast (NxNE) in Toronto, the Taste of Chicago, Old St. Pat's World's Largest Block Party, the Midpoint Music Festival in Cincinnati, and in Chicago clubs like METRO, Schubas, Bottom Lounge, MartyrsÕ, Subterranean, The Note, as well as clubs on both coasts. My My My has also been played on Keeping up with the Kardashians, Bad Girls Club, The Real World: San Diego, and The Real World: Las Vegas.

Winnipeg, MB, Canada

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Vocalist Myron Dean, guitarist Riley Hastings, bassist Ian Lodewyks, and new drummer Joel Armstrong are poised to lead the charge in resurrecting the soul-centric rock sounds of decades past with a fresh new flair, and they're converting crowds every time they slay the stage. "It's a sound that everyone has a taste for," Dean says of the band's '50s flavour Ð a fact becoming clearer by the day. The intangible chemistry these four share stems from their widespread influences, which together produce a combustible sonic concoction that borrows from a slew of different decades and styles. On record, they're exciting; onstage, however, The Noble Thiefs are explosive, embodying the seizure-inducing energy of early punk and leaving delightfully dazed and dizzy crowds in their wake.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Fueled by an unyielding creative drive, and a down-home country spirit, Nora Collins has established herself as one of the country music industryÕs rising stars with two consecutive Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) "Rising Star" awards (2013 and 2012), and was recently named the WAMI 2014 "Singer/Songwriter of the Year" award winner. As a recording artist, Nora Collins has released three albums and has dozens of original songs to her credit. Her new album, "Only the Beginning" is an acoustic collection which puts an emphasis on lyrics by only featuring vocals, guitar and fiddle. As an accomplished singer and guitarist, Nora Collins has a unique vocal quality that is both sensitive and upbeat. Much like her personality, she brings a positive energy that carries across generations of fans.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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Recently included in NPR's Austin 100 - 100 bands to see at SXSW 2014 - Paper Holland is an indie-pop band from Milwaukee, WI. Paper Holland began when long-time friends, Joe Tomcheck and Andy Kosanke, began writing music together in Summer 2008. With no other band members or deadlines, the two took their time creating songs that would eventually become their full-length debut album, Happy Belated (self-released, January 2013). Mark Yencheske (bass) and Brian Szymanski (drums) were added to the lineup in time for the album's release, which Brian had recorded drums on and co-produced.

Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

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Past and present. Band and audience. Instruments and electronics. It's in the fusion of these seemingly opposing entities that Winnipeg rock outfit The Revival truly thrives, creating a sound greater than the sum of its parts Ð and one worth latching on to.

Winnipeg, MB, Canada

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Drawing inspiration from many artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell, The Avett Brothers, and local bluegrass singer-songwriter and labelmate, Jess Reimer, Sc Mira shapes music that is written for old souls and the young at heart. Their country influence and quivering vocals breed a new type of folk-rock with pop sensibilities.

kent, ohio

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Described as the 'feasible love-children of They Might Be Giants and Kimya Dawson' real-life sisters Vivian and Midge Ramone are the punky, folky, poppy, ShiSho from greater Kent, Ohio. At 17 and 14 years old, ShiSho has been writing and recording for 9 years. The girls perform intelligent and quirky folk-punk on accordion, guitar and occasionally the ukulele.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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The Sleepwalkers have been quietly banging around in the attic for the better part of 5 years in Wisconsin's Fox Valley region. Writing, rewriting, absorbing, touring, and every now and then, releasing a record.

twin cities, minnesota

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It didn't take long for Step Rockets to take off. Just 13 days after the release of "Kisser", the track hit #1 on Hype Machine. The song has over 500,000 Soundcloud plays and continues to gain international attention. The Minneapolis four-piece twists psychedelic sounds and modern pop hooks into danceable indie rock. Their tracks blend the raw attitude of the Clash with the interstellar arrangements of the Flaming Lips, creating a sound that is uniquely dynamic and fun. The group of multi-instrumentalists build layers of EDM, New Wave and Reggae to launch their music into something that is both fresh and mysterious. Their sound is a cosmic recycling of music past and present, aimed to create an experience that defies description.

cedarburg, wisconsin

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In her early teenage years, Stephanie Erin Brill started "going rogue" performing at the edge of festivals, catching interest from passersby. The feedback from those listening encouraged her to pursue bigger stages.Today at 16, she's just released her first studio produced EP "Save The Day", received a plethora of accolades including two WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry) "Rising Star" nominations and a MAMA (Madison Area Music Association) 1st Chair Award, opened for Grammy award winning songwriter Jon Vezner, been selected for Mile of Music, Steel Bridge Songfest, Summerfest and completed a successful Kickstarter campaign. Brill's keyboard driven folky/pop influences include piano based songwriters Regina Spektor, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Billy Joel and Ben folds. This emerging young artist should be on your radar.

chicago, illinois

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Tall Walker is a three-piece indie rock faction from Chicago, IL with a sound that is pop sensible, rock friendly and sonically reminiscent of early U2. From the soft and sensitive, to the raucous and fuzzy, they entice with powerful delivery and thought provoking lyrics. Brought to life by recent Chicago transplant Nick Bays and Chris Hershman, Tall Walker spent most of 2012 in the fetal stages. With the addition of Ben Johnson on drums the trio has started recording selections from their catalog and is building a fan base in Chicago and Bays's home state of South Carolina.

milwaukee, wisconsin

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The adventurous and accessible musicality of modern rock band Tapebenders (formerly Elusive Parallelograms) stems from refreshing respect-diversity ideals. "We come from such varied backgrounds as people and as musicians," contributing guitarist-vocalist-songwriter Andrew Foys explains. "We just consider ourselves a creative collective striving to make good art."

oshkosh, wisconsin

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The Traveling Suitcase is a 3-piece rock outfit from Oshkosh, WI. Starting in 2010, the Suitcase has been unpacking all over the country having toured to Seattle, Nashville, Colorado, and all over the Midwest. Their musical amalgamation slams their listeners into a world of medicinal bass lines, teeth whitening guitar solos, and ecstatic songs that awaken our inner child. Those fortunate enough to experience a Traveling Suitcase performance are sure to come back again for another listen, and then another, for the band excels in bringing large groups of people back in line with reality. Drawing influence from the musical styling's of The Doors, Led Zeppelin, and My Morning Jacket; Traveling Suitcase creates a landscape of dominate independent rock and roll.

Milwaukee, wisconsin

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Tigernite is a hard hitting rock-and-roll creature hailing from Milwaukee, WI. Swaggering riffs, powerful spitfire vocals and red-blooded explosive performances shot Tigernite to the forefront of the city's music scene. In the spirit of honest fun, the band draws inspiration from psychedelia, punk and rock opera, creating their own heavy brand of Glam Party Rock.

chicago, illinois

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We like to call it 'Psychedelic Folk Rock born in the American Midwest.' But you can just call it 'rock'n'roll' if you like. In March 2014, Midwestern songwriter/producer Will Phalen released The Dirt and the Air and the Grass, a new album featuring a brand new band and a dynamic new sound. That new sound is built firmly on the folk rock foundations of Phalen's earlier work with his 'Stereo Addicts' projects, but it is also touched by another set of colors: bold strokes of ambient bliss; vocal harmonies that transport us through the mind of Brian Wilson, across the Atlantic and into the studios at Abbey Road circa 1965; lush drones and a pedal steel guitar flash us back to the collaborations of Lanois and Eno; symphonic strings sing out across a valley of noise before returning us to the lonely tones of an acoustic guitar.

glenview, illinois

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Chicago-based indie pop quartet Wolvereen is made up of three 16-year-old girls and their twentysomething former babysitter, Devin, on drums. The three schoolmates at the core of the band - Olivia, Madi and Nonie - are wise beyond their years, and nowhere does this show more than in their songwriting. Since the release of their debut EP Sweet Wolverine in 2010, the girls have written more than two dozen new songs and have continued to perfect their live sound, initially at venerable venues like Schubas and The Hideout, and eventually graduating to become the youngest band to ever headline Chicago's legendary rock venue, The Metro. Lollapalooza was the highlight for 2012 and 2013 was jam packed with gigs, and the second half was spent recording a EP for spring 2014 release with legendary rock producer Mike Chapman.